Apurva is a student who struggles with misophonia. Read more about Apurva’s misophonia story!

Hi! My name is Apurva and I’m someone who just so happens to deal with misophonia. It’s hard, being a high schooler, stressed out about college applications and homework, stress eating, but struggling to chew a piece of bread without wanting to throw something. What triggers me is the sound of chewing. The slish-sloshing of saliva in someone’s mouth is enough to make my blood boil.

How did I know I had misophonia?

I realized this in my sophomore year of high school when I was stuck in the house with my family and my anxiety levels crept up. Sure, in the past, I would get mad about people chewing, but I always brushed it off as a simple pet peeve. But over quarantine, I couldn’t bear sitting at the dinner table as I heard my family monch down their food. It was a Sunday when I realized that the “simple” pet peeve might be something more.

I was stressed about the upcoming exams that week and was forced to sit with the family at lunch. I’m not really sure what clicked, but I found myself feeling like I was drowning—only I wasn’t in the water. I realized that the intensity of my lack of comfort combined with my stress triggered an anxiety attack— my first one. I had this happen the following week. And the next. And eventually at school. And every single time, it was the sound of chewing that made me break. I went on Google and searched up why I feel intensely angry when I hear people chew.

My answer? I have misophonia.